Plagiary

plagiary

Artificial Intelligence, Real Dance

Plagiary is a dance performance experiment that employs Artificial Intelligence as a speaking choreographer and playwright who generates an entirely new show before your eyes in collaboration with live contemporary dance improvisors. Plagiary is constructed by multi award winning dance technologist and choreographer Alisdair Macindoe, who has explored AI computer generated dance instruction since 2018.

“Plagiary certainly activated the cerebellum, in ways that felt novel and surprising even for a contemporary dance performance.” - LEILA LOIS, DANCE AUSTRALIA

Working with acclaimed media artist Sam Mcgilp, Plagiary explores entire visual worlds made with AI that are bespoke to each performance. Updating the contemporary dance format, Plagiary opens a space to deepen our knowledge of embodiment in the age of AI. At at time when we are questioning our relevance as a species, Plagiary champions the human body, platforming our natural form as one of the final sites untouched by artificial intelligence.

“★★★★” - Ashleigh Hastings, Time Out

Built for concept touring Plagiary is a fast tracked collaboration with local performers who perform the work after two rehearsal days. Improvising live, the dancers build an entirely new show each time they perform and rehearse Plagiary, and only require a hand full of runs to be prepared for a public season.

“A must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and the arts. It’s a clever and thought-provoking exploration of how AI can expand the boundaries of creative expression while also highlighting the irreplaceable nature of human artistry.” - BRENDAN DAYNES, DANCE LIFE AUSTRALIA

The audience is invited to delve further into this collaboration between human and machine, by wearing optional custom glasses linked to an on-stage screen displaying the text that is generating the performance.

“(a) frenetic, self-referential, self-consciously wanky and very uncanny valley. It's also delightfully nonsensical.” - HANNAH REICH, THE STAGE SHOW, ABC

Plagiary asks us to question the role of human creativity, and the future of cultural succession by blurring the lines of authorship and authenticity in a world that is increasingly automated and created by machines and generative AI.

“In the opening night show, “Mother of Modern Dance” Martha Graham appeared on screen and her spirit proceeded to take over the interviewee’s body to choreograph ‘Martha Graham’s Prism (Plagiary)’. Graham’s influence on contemporary dance was clear in the dancers’ movements, with Prism commenting on the blurred distinction between mere influence and plagiarism.” - SAVANNAH INDIGO, ARTS HUB